Dear Sirs, I whish I could take profit out of your wonderful pages on B-W photography asking about something concerning the possibility of developing XP2 and HP5 with a same developer without loosing too much in terms of grain and general quality of image. If I use C41 process with normal films , as HP5, what will happen exactly on the final result? Thanks a lot for your kind reply. e.l.

-- emilio locatelli (emilius.l@libero.it), February 24, 2000

Answers

Response to developing XP2 and HP5 with a same developer

I don't think this will work. HP5 is a silver based film, and XP2 is a chromogenic film. Whenever you try the same developer on both films, I would expect (at least) one of the films to be ruined.

-- Thomas Wollstein (thomas_wollstein@web.de), February 25, 2000.

Response to developing XP2 and HP5 with a same developer

You could use the C41 developer on HP-5 and get an image, then use B&W stop and fix. My guess is it will be a weak image because C41 developer can be used on Tech Pan to get lower (pictoral) contrast with this inherently contrasty film. You would still need the other C41 chemicals for XP-2. IOW you could share only the developer. What's the point?

-- Tim Brown (brownt@ase.com), February 25, 2000.

Response to developing XP2 and HP5 with a same developer

I've never tried HP5+ in C41, but I doubt that it would work at all. It would probably work better the other way round, i.e. use a conventional B&W developer (rather than C41) for both films. But I also can't see the point. XP2 will give the best results in C41, and HP5+ in a conventional developer.

-- Alan Gibson (Alan@snibgo.com), February 26, 2000.

Response to developing XP2 and HP5 with a same developer

> HP5+ in C41

Hmm...now I'm wondering about maybe using C-41 dev when a strong contraction is needed....

-- John Hicks (jbh@magicnet.net), February 26, 2000.